Responsible renters should be rewarded. This is all the more true if you want a stronger credit history or you live in a particularly competitive rental market.

Until Landlord Credit Bureau (LCB) came along, Canadian renters had no way of getting what is usually their largest monthly payment added to their credit history to keep increasing their credit score. With a high credit score, you can qualify for everything from low-interest, high-limit credit cards, to loans for buying a car or home, to attractive cellphone deals, to other opportunities to make coveted purchases and save money.

Increase Credit and Get Your Rental Application Prioritized

In both Canada and the U.S., Landlord Credit Bureau enables residential tenants to build credit by paying rent. Through LCB, your on-time rent payments will be shared with Equifax. And as the only national source for verified references from landlords, the Landlord Credit Bureau also helps you establish a positive tenant record by being a conscientious tenant.

Your positive verified rental history can make or break whether you get the next rental unit you apply for. As Zac Killam, CEO of the Landlord Credit Bureau, explained it, when a potential new landlord reviews your application alongside others and sees your verified LCB record of responsible tenant behaviour, “Their eyes are going to light up, and they’re going to say ‘Wow! I now trust that you’ll be a great tenant. I’m going to put you to the top of the pile, and I’m not going to bother looking at any of the other applicants.’”

CEO Zachary Killam: The Benefits of Credit Reporting and Tenant Records

Landlord Credit Bureau was founded in 2012. Its mission, to improve the businesses and lives of landlords, property managers and responsible tenants.

Founder Marvin Steier was a retired officer of Canada’s RCMP national police force. His vision with LCB was to help landlords avoid what many refer to as “bad tenants”—the fewer than 10% of tenants who intentionally live rent-free, who repeatedly pay their rent late, or who cause expensive property damage that exceeds normal wear and tear. 

Today, Landlord Credit Bureau’s CEO is Zac Killam, a former corporate lawyer, technology entrepreneur and a previous reliable tenant. Killam has injected his expertise into LCB. Landlord Credit Bureau now provides landlords and property managers with the tools to reward dependable tenants and motivate positive payment habits by introducing rent payments to credit reports.

40-Point Credit Score Increase: One Tenant’s Experience

There are many ways to build your credit score, either with a credit card or without one. One of them is rent reporting, which can have a startling impact on your credit record. Zac Killam shared one tenant’s success with Landlord Credit Bureau: “He saw a 40-something-point increase after only two months. I think he jumped from just over a 630 to almost a 680. He was able to get a credit card for the first time in a decade.”

A positive rent payment history on your credit report may be especially important if you have little or no credit history—for example, if you are a young student, a Canadian newcomer or a U.S. immigrant. “Particularly if [you] wish to get a mortgage in the future,” said Killam, “it shows a pattern of on-time rent payments, which of course financers, banking institutions and financial institutions want to see.”

For renters in temporary financial hardship, as long as you and your landlord work together to set up a rent deferral agreement and a payment plan, there should be no harm to your credit report, your credit score or your tenant record. 

Get the Credit and Rental Property You Deserve

Let us recap the 2 big benefits you can get from the Landlord Credit Bureau.

1. Improve Your Credit Report

Landlord Credit Bureau’s tenant credit reporting feature helps you build the credit you need for a happy and successful future. By having your on-time rent payments shared with the Equifax credit agency, you can increase your credit score and help repair any poor credit history.

2. Develop a Positive Tenant History

In Canada and the U.S., Landlord Credit Bureau helps landlords by providing a record of rental history. These records may include your payment history and past landlords, along with the contact information of your current and past landlords.

By paying your rent on time and taking care of your place your landlord is able to record that information on the LCB platform, your positive history can serve as a trusted landlord reference.

So, when you apply for your next place, you can skip the line and get ahead of the competition.

Monitor Your Records

With Landlord Credit Bureau, you can log in to the tenant portal and check your record, make comments and report any discrepancies.

Landlord Credit Bureau complies with the requirements to protect you under governing legislation, and has worked to exceed protection requirements. You can read here how LCB works in Canada and how LCB works in the U.S.

Are you registered with the Landlord Credit Bureau? If not, you may be missing your chance to improve your credit, build a positive tenant record, skip the line and get the rental unit or home you deserve. Sign up today to report your on-time rent payments.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this post is not intended to be construed as legal advice, nor should it be considered a substitute for obtaining individual legal counsel or consulting your local, state, federal or provincial tenancy laws.

In October 2021, the LCB organization re-branded some of the services it offers under FrontLobby. Until this point, the LCB organization has consisted of two companies handling different services under the umbrella trademark of Landlord Credit Bureau. The introduction of FrontLobby enables each company to maximize its focus and impact. Read More